Proffitt: A race between middle-of-the-roaders

By WALDO PROFFITT

Published: Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 13, 2012 at 4:34 p.m.

So, the 2012 presidential race is now under way. It is Democrat Barack Obama vs. Republican Mitt Romney. The withdrawal this week of Rick Santorum from the GOP primary race effectively handed the party's nomination to Romney.

I don't recall any official announcement about Obama's running mate, but press releases from the White House and the Democratic Party keep referring to an Obama-Biden ticket, so it seems safe to assume Obama intends to keep Biden on the 2012 slate. The Republican VP candidate will be picked by Romney, who has given no hint of whom he might choose, though he had some very nice things to say this week about Santorum, for whom Romney might feel considerable gratitude, and who comes from Pennsylvania, which has an enticing 20 votes in the Electoral College.

In any case, the names in the big headlines for the next six months will be Obama and Romney.

The 2012 campaign will be one of the longer ones in our history and it will surely be the most expensive. Recent Supreme Court decisions have removed many restrictions on political contributions, and a veritable flood of money is already headed for the campaigns of both parties. I am appalled at the prospect of how much money is going to be spent and how many donors to whom the candidates will feel obligated.

I am even more appalled by how much of that money will be spent on negative advertising by candidates both national and state. I hope the campaign will not set new records for nastiness, but I am not terribly optimistic.

There are still primaries to be held in 19 states, including New York (95 convention delegates), Texas (155 delegates) and California (172 delegates). Republicans in all those states will not have a meaningful say-so in choosing their party's nominee for president. That is a significant flaw in the nominating process. I suggest both parties might want to consider changes such as designating a nationwide primary voting day.

Meanwhile, our present arrangement has given us a pair of candidates both of whom are perfectly acceptable representatives of their party. Both of them are middle-of-the-roaders, coming from neither the far right nor the far left of their party.

An average of six different nationwide public opinion polls this week puts Obama about five percentage points ahead of Romney, with an even larger lead among women, but it's more than six months until the election. Womenwise, it's been a rough few months for Republicans. One poll found Obama leading Romney by 19 percent among women. Most of the trouble has been caused by actions or statements from assorted state officials, but it rubs off on all party members. A story in The New York Times Thursday indicated the Romney camp is acutely aware of the gender gap and is working hard to close it. There is a lot of work to be done.

It will be interesting to see how the campaign staffs of the candidates handle the health care issue. The health care plan pushed by President Obama and passed into law by Congress drew heavily on what then Governor Romney did in Massachusetts -- which seems to have worked out very well. Obama has always given Romney due credit for his initiative -- something Romney did not relish during his campaign against the other GOP contenders, all of whom, I believe, promised to repeal "Obamacare."

Now, Romney, if he aligns himself with the prevailing wisdom of his party, will have to campaign against the new national health plan of which he will be credited as godfather.

Obama and Romney have even more in common. Both are Ivy Leaguers. Both have graduate degrees from Harvard. Romney has two, one in business, one in law. Obama was president of the Harvard Law Review, which is a pretty big deal. Both are married and have children. Neither has a reputation for "playing around."

I do not recall what, if anything, has been arranged in the way of debates between the candidates. I assume there will be some and they should be newsworthy. Both men are smart and articulate.

While, as I said at the start of this article, the campaign can be considered under way, I hope it will not get serious soon. Six months of campaign oratory is more than I can tolerate. Let's hope the candidates and their staffs do not really get their shows on the road before Labor Day.

<p>So, the 2012 presidential race is now under way. It is Democrat Barack Obama vs. Republican Mitt Romney. The withdrawal this week of Rick Santorum from the GOP primary race effectively handed the party's nomination to Romney.</p><p>I don't recall any official announcement about Obama's running mate, but press releases from the White House and the Democratic Party keep referring to an Obama-Biden ticket, so it seems safe to assume Obama intends to keep Biden on the 2012 slate. The Republican VP candidate will be picked by Romney, who has given no hint of whom he might choose, though he had some very nice things to say this week about Santorum, for whom Romney might feel considerable gratitude, and who comes from Pennsylvania, which has an enticing 20 votes in the Electoral College.</p><p>In any case, the names in the big headlines for the next six months will be Obama and Romney.</p><p>The 2012 campaign will be one of the longer ones in our history and it will surely be the most expensive. Recent Supreme Court decisions have removed many restrictions on political contributions, and a veritable flood of money is already headed for the campaigns of both parties. I am appalled at the prospect of how much money is going to be spent and how many donors to whom the candidates will feel obligated.</p><p>I am even more appalled by how much of that money will be spent on negative advertising by candidates both national and state. I hope the campaign will not set new records for nastiness, but I am not terribly optimistic.</p><p>There are still primaries to be held in 19 states, including New York (95 convention delegates), Texas (155 delegates) and California (172 delegates). Republicans in all those states will not have a meaningful say-so in choosing their party's nominee for president. That is a significant flaw in the nominating process. I suggest both parties might want to consider changes such as designating a nationwide primary voting day.</p><p>Meanwhile, our present arrangement has given us a pair of candidates both of whom are perfectly acceptable representatives of their party. Both of them are middle-of-the-roaders, coming from neither the far right nor the far left of their party.</p><p>An average of six different nationwide public opinion polls this week puts Obama about five percentage points ahead of Romney, with an even larger lead among women, but it's more than six months until the election. Womenwise, it's been a rough few months for Republicans. One poll found Obama leading Romney by 19 percent among women. Most of the trouble has been caused by actions or statements from assorted state officials, but it rubs off on all party members. A story in The New York Times Thursday indicated the Romney camp is acutely aware of the gender gap and is working hard to close it. There is a lot of work to be done.</p><p>It will be interesting to see how the campaign staffs of the candidates handle the health care issue. The health care plan pushed by President Obama and passed into law by Congress drew heavily on what then Governor Romney did in Massachusetts -- which seems to have worked out very well. Obama has always given Romney due credit for his initiative -- something Romney did not relish during his campaign against the other GOP contenders, all of whom, I believe, promised to repeal "Obamacare."</p><p>Now, Romney, if he aligns himself with the prevailing wisdom of his party, will have to campaign against the new national health plan of which he will be credited as godfather.</p><p>Obama and Romney have even more in common. Both are Ivy Leaguers. Both have graduate degrees from Harvard. Romney has two, one in business, one in law. Obama was president of the Harvard Law Review, which is a pretty big deal. Both are married and have children. Neither has a reputation for "playing around."</p><p>I do not recall what, if anything, has been arranged in the way of debates between the candidates. I assume there will be some and they should be newsworthy. Both men are smart and articulate.</p><p>While, as I said at the start of this article, the campaign can be considered under way, I hope it will not get serious soon. Six months of campaign oratory is more than I can tolerate. Let's hope the candidates and their staffs do not really get their shows on the road before Labor Day.</p><p>Waldo Proffitt is the former editor of the Herald-Tribune.</p><p>Email: Waldo_Proffitt@yahoo.com</p>